Speed camp in full swing for kids in Brush

Tyrone Whipple working to help kids, athletes become faster and in better shape

By Brandon Boles, Fort Morgan Times Sports Editor

Posted:
06/08/2016 02:07:37 PM MDT

Updated:
06/08/2016 02:08:46 PM MDT

Kids attending Tyrone Whipple's speed camp on Tuesday, June 7 put together all the fundamentals taught at the beginning of the session to run 100 meters on the track at Brush High School. (Brandon Boles/Times)

For Tyrone Whipple, the speed camp he hosts in the offseason is much more than working with student-athletes to get faster and in better shape - it's a chance to give back to the community.And it's a chance to repay a debt owed to someone that helped him out when he was a kid."A lot of kids around here cannot afford to go to (sports) camps, and I was that kid once," Whipple said. "My mom raised seven kids by herself and worked three jobs while my dad was in prison. We didn't have the money.""I had a coach in Colorado Springs in coach Lattimore that came to my house one day and said I could go to his camp," Whipple added. "The camp cost about $220 a month, but he said I could come and he would get me new shoes. He said the way I would repay him was by running the same camp for kids in need for free."Today, he continues to repay and give back in the community of Brush with his camp, as well as other camps and sporting activities throughout the summer he puts on for free.The speed camp is divided into two age groups. One is for younger, elementary school age children. This group is shown proper fundamental techniques such as pumping the arms, looking straight up without moving the head, and other minor details that normally get overlooked. Once the techniques are worked on, the kids look to put everything together with some sprints on the high school track.The other age group - primarily made up of middle school and high school kids - also works on the fundamentals of proper running.

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This week, Whipple was testing the kids by timing their runs in the 40 meter dash, the 120 meter dash, and a 300 shuttle, looking for speed and endurance. Camp sessions also finish with a workout to strengthen the core that includes planks and other sit-ups.Proper fundamentals are a big priority for all the kids in the camp, according to Whipple.A lot of times, when you look at the kids during the season, they do not have the basic fundamentals," Whipple said. "That increases the chance of injury."Breaking down the mechanics is the next step in Whipple's speed camp after testing. While the kids were testing, he observed the fundamentals and habits of the kids to find things to work on. The first thing coming up for the kids will be working on multi-directional agility to keep the kids in an athletic stance. There will be work on accelerating and decelerating properly to prevent extra weight and pressure put on the knees to change direction.Whipple said the camp is currently in general preparation at the moment, which will last two to three weeks."The test period now will help show us if we are doing the right things for them," Whipple said. "If they are getting better, we can move on. If not, we'll go to the drawing board to try and work with each individual athlete."The multi-directional agility and other basic fundamentals work well with athletes in all sports, but the camp will also break down specific agility workouts that will fit with different sports as well."We'll also break down the agility drills into specific positions," Whipple said. "Linemen (in football) will have specific drills and quarterbacks will be throwing the ball and working on their drop steps, things like that. We can see their footwork and what they need to fix then."Breaking bad habits in running form is a process that takes time, which makes the younger kids coming to the camp a positive thing to have, according to Whipple."You want to break the bad habits from the start," Whipple said. "We usually get them by the time they are nine or 10 years old, and at that point it's too late. They learn a lot of bad habits."Whipple also added that it takes, on average, roughly 10,000 hours to change muscle memory, giving more significance to starting with the right technique and fundamentals early and not having to worry on changing the fundamentals when it's too late.The speed camp runs during the week from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. or later at Brush High School. It is free for everyone to attend, but donations can also be made to help buy new equipment for Brush High School athletics. Whipple also wants to make sure people know the camp is open for everyone in the community, not just in Brush."I'm a Beetdigger at heart, but this camp is open for everyone who wants to get better," Whipple said.

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